Robert Francis O’Rourke, the fake Hispanic who almost won the Texas Senate election in 2018 against Ted Cruz (which still baffles the mind) apparently isn’t doing very well in a hypothetical primary matchup against some washed up Hollywood hack named Matthew McConaughey.
The Fake Hispanic Beto, however, is getting routed by Abbott, 33 to 45 percent.
The bad news for the Fake Hispanic is that he’s a known brand not just in Texas, but nationally. Everyone knows who he is, what he’s about, and he’s stuck at 33 percent. That’s a calamity for him.
As far as McConaughey, the more Texas considers a Gov. Wooderson, the less they seem to like the idea. In this same poll, McConaughey beat Abbott by a wide margin of 45 to 33 percent in April. In other words, Abbott’s gone from a 13 point deficit to a single-point lead against McConaughey in just three months.
I have nothing against Matthew McConaughey personally. He seems like a good guy with a sense of humor about himself; a bit eccentric, but an individualist who’s paid his dues. But he has yet to declare if he’s a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, which, as things stand, is something close to an impossible choice. As a Republican, he’s not going to beat Abbott for the nomination. As a Democrat, he probably can’t win in a GOP state like Texas. As an Independent, he will likely split the vote and hand Abbott a reelection win.
Also, the moment McConaughey ceases to be a movie star and starts becoming a politician who actually has to take a stand on things, it’s hard to see him becoming more popular as opposed to polarizing.
Outsiders can be great chief executives. Former President Donald Trump proved that. But, unfortunately, outsiders can also be disasters. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proved that.
If McConaughey wants the job, he’d be wise to declare his party affiliation today and what his positions are and then spend the next five years building a coalition for the 2026 Texas governor’s race. He’ll still be a young 56 years of age, which might be the exact right time to jump from leading man to a politician.